Thrush (candidiasis)

Taking antibiotics will cause thrush in about a third of women because they kill off the good bacteria in the vagina.
Also, with the warmer weather, we tend to see an increase in thrush infections.

Thrush is a yeast infection caused by a fungus that exists naturally in the body and tends to grow in warm, moist conditions.
With vaginal thrush, it can develop when conditions in the vagina change – such as taking antibiotics, during pregnancy, when you have diabetes or weak immune system.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF THRUSH
Anyone can both get thrush but it’s much more common in people with a vagina. It’s estimated that three out of four women will develop it at some point in their lives.

Symptoms of thrush for people with a vagina can include:

• Vaginal discharge that has no smell but is either thick and white (a bit like cottage cheese) or thin and watery
• Itching and soreness around the vagina entrance
• In more serious cases, you may experience swelling of the vagina and cracked skin around the entrance
• Stinging when you wee

Symptoms of thrush for people with a penis can include:

• A cottage cheese-like discharge under the foreskin of the penis that may smell
• The penis may become sore, itchy and inflamed
• Stinging when you wee

TREATMENT OF THRUSH
Although you can buy treatments for thrush at the chemist, it’s always best to get it diagnosed by a doctor or nurse first; this is because lots of other infections can have similar symptoms and you may not get the right treatment.

Treatment may include a combination of pills, creams or pessaries. A pessary is a pill that you insert into your vagina and dissolves, usually overnight. Cream is applied to the genital area. In men, treatment usually involves a cream that you apply to the area affected.

Some people can get recurrent thrush, while others seem to only have one episode. If you find that you are getting repeated symptoms it is important to go to seek medical advice for further management.